Rome, New York & A/V Sightings, April 1956April 1956

On the morning of April 9, 1956, observers at Griffiss Air Force Base near Rome, New York, spotted a bright light in the sky. The object appeared as a round, orange-white light that changed to orange with a red tint. Witnesses saw it through binoculars, and it was also spotted by two aircraft in the area. The light stayed visible for roughly twenty-three minutes, appearing at an azimuth of 330 degrees (looking roughly northwest by north) and an elevation of about 4,000 feet above the horizon.

Air Force analysts compared the sighting details against star charts and astronomical almanacs. They determined that the planet Venus was almost on the horizon at the time of the sighting and was located at approximately 325 degrees (northwest by north) azimuth, near the constellation Taurus. Venus was unusually prominent and bright during this period of the year, brighter than the surrounding stars. The analysts noted that the reported size of the object, described as about the size of a pea, matched what would be expected when viewing Venus.

The file includes a detailed explanation of how observing planets or stars through binoculars can create misleading impressions. Binoculars give celestial objects an illusion of movement, high speed, and odd maneuvers. Additionally, certain atmospheric conditions near the horizon can make an astronomical body appear much larger, brighter, and closer than it actually is. The moon, for example, can appear five times larger when viewed near the horizon compared to viewing it overhead. Pilots in particular have sometimes reported that such objects appear to move toward or away from their aircraft, though this effect is usually caused by the observer's own movements while trying to keep the object centered in the binoculars.

The Air Force concluded that the sighting was a misidentification of the planet Venus, caused by the conditions under which it was observed producing an unconventional appearance. The case file marked this sighting as unknown in its initial evaluation. The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, consisting of 9 pages of scanned documents.